


Found

by Ohnomysoul



Category: Bug Fables (Video Game)
Genre: Body Horror, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Leif's request spoilers, Medical TW, because there is some quick parts where some bad stuff is remembered, don't worry its wholesome, for the most part its pretty chill tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24889645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohnomysoul/pseuds/Ohnomysoul
Summary: Something feels off...But the others don't mind it.
Relationships: Team Snakemouth
Comments: 13
Kudos: 91





	Found

**Author's Note:**

> Bug Fables is a great game with great characters. I can't believe I'm crying about bugs again.
> 
> Also! Like the tags state, HUGE story spoilers, as well as a medical tw for there is a couple moments where a character remembers some... not so pleasant stuff; however it does not go into too much detail.

The sun had just risen, marking the very beginning of morning. In a couple hours most of the Ant Kingdom would be up and running. Stores opening, other bugs meeting up with friends, explorers picking up missions: all things normal to bug’s lives. But that was a time away, now was time for rest.

But even still, despite this, Leif found himself awake. He jolted, almost hitting his head against the top bunk of the team’s nifty little triple bunk bed. Memories turned nightmares flitting in his consciousness. Memories of being alone yet overwhelmed by other presences. The tool that was to be used. A cold existence in which he yielded nothing, and was promptly thrown away.

He turned his thoughts elsewhere.

Vi, as up and about as she was in the day, was buzzing softly in her sleep. Each buzz was punctuated with a little mumble or sigh. Not exactly a quiet sleeper. Kabbu on the other claw, was almost completely silent. The only sign that he was still asleep in the bunk below Leif was the slightest of shifts and the soft sounds of his breathing. 

Leif leaned against the wall. Absently, he traced the healing cracks on his thorax received from… it coming out of him, and tried to match Kabbu’s own calm breathing. _Vi is here, Kabbu is here, we are here. Same as when we fell asleep. The other two wouldn’t let anything happen to us anyway. ___

__The other two accepted him more than he did himself. He winced as he hit a particularly sore spot from where his carapace still healed. In all fairness, they didn’t have to go through the experience of having those _things _break through their chest. Strange, the stuff that came out of him did more damage than the damned scorpion. Didn’t hurt as much though, maybe a little sore but nothing like being shanked in the back. Eerily natural, despite how unnatural and _wrong _he felt. The memories of being placed on a cold countertop, a glaring light so unlike the warm sun. The strange warmth and beating hearts of those cold and heartless. A monster laid across the table a tool to be used an imposter—_____ _

______He shut his eyes tight, trying to block out the thoughts. So, his body was… odd. The shifting tendrils he felt from the inside he had originally passed off as figments of a tired mind and frayed nerves. The coldness of his limbs and his craving of warmth could be passed off as being a side effect of his magic._ _ _ _ _ _

______He couldn’t explain how he could feel the heartbeats of those who stood close enough to him. Until he learned of his true nature._ _ _ _ _ _

______His breathing became uneasy again, falling out of the rhythm he tried to keep. He wasn’t safe. He was alone. And no one would—_ _ _ _ _ _

______No, that was wrong. He was safe, with Vi and Kabbu. The ones that risked their lives to save him from the spider. The ones that stuck by him despite seeing what lay dormant inside him. The ones that comforted him when he learned…_ _ _ _ _ _

______The ones who..._ _ _ _ _ _

______They accepted him into their lives as he was, helping him and letting him help them. Hell, they even shared a house with him. They weren’t disgusted by the truth, far from it even…_ _ _ _ _ _

______The ones who loved him._ _ _ _ _ _

______Right when he had finally started to calm down, he jolted again, this time enough to actually hit his head against the upper bunk. He yelped, shuffling to the floor, holding his forehead with one claw and trying to keep his insides from coming out with the other._ _ _ _ _ _

______He had hoped to never see the damned stuff again. Just, seeping out of his thorax where his carapace still sought to heal, was the telltale cordyceps that plagued his insides. Or, was he the inner plague coming out of Leif’s outsides?_ _ _ _ _ _

______Pedantics aside, as soon as his panic flared up, it was gone. Retracted back into his husk of a body. Leaving him questioning what in Bugaria just happened._ _ _ _ _ _

______Apparently, he caused a bit too much commotion. Because soon he heard a shuffle behind him and a caring claw on his shoulder. Oh, he looked over to see Kabbu, who was worriedly trying to articulate words after being frantically awoken._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Leif, why are you on the floor?” Was what he first said, quickly adding an, “are you okay?” afterwards. A question more so out of politeness rather than, well, an actual question. Kabbu knew. Probably the reason he was so good at pep talks._ _ _ _ _ _

______Leif pulled his wings tighter to his chest. “We are fine, just a nightmare.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“...do you want to talk about it?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Leif thought to himself. “Not really,” guilt flooded his chest. Later, he could share, but for now he just wanted to forget. “Sorry for so rudely awakening you, we don’t know what’s gotten into us.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Leif,” Kabbu started, worry creeping in his voice._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What’s going on? Why is Leif on the floor?” It was Vi’s turn to wake up now. Her eyes struggled to stay open as she yawned. “I heard a crash.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“It is nothing Vi, we are fine,” Leif said._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Fine people don’t fall on the floor,” Vi said. She jumped off the top bunk, fluttering to a stop before hitting the ground._ _ _ _ _ _

______Leif scoffed, but found himself unable to disagree. So the only option was to mope silently and hope Kabbu didn’t notice._ _ _ _ _ _

______A couple petals brushed against Leif’s front; Chompy had started to nose her way into Leif’s unoccupied claw. He carefully scooped up the little chomper into his arms, standing up and unfurling his wings enough so he could hold her to his chest. He crooned to her. Carefully stroking the yellow petals behind her head, he noticed how they almost stood on end. It was not unlike how the fluff on his neck puffed up whenever he was startled himself. “Poor Chompy, our outburst seemed to have frightened her as well.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Really, Leif,” Kabbu started, “there’s no need to feel guilty. If anything we just have a couple extra hours today to do things.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Easy for you to say, Kabbu. I would’ve liked a couple extra hours of rest,” Vi said. She was still rubbing the sleep out from her eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______Kabbu sighed. “Come now Vi, that’s no way to act. I’d think you’d understand after the nightmare you’d had the other night. You came to me and woke me up while crying—“_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Anyway! I guess it’s not that bad to be up a little earlier than usual. Time is berries after all.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Leif found it hard not to smile just a little bit. “Of course that’s what you think of first, Vi.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Hey!”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I think the extra time to spend together with you two is nice,” Kabbu said._ _ _ _ _ _

______“And we knew that’d be what you thought of first Kabbu.” Leif fought against the urge to smirk at the unseen but obvious blush and Kabbu’s quickened heartbeat._ _ _ _ _ _

______The both of them were rather silly, but that genuine nature was what comforted him. Leif stroked the back of Chompy’s head as she headbutted his face. The unease from earlier hadn’t completely melted away; he was feeling much better though._ _ _ _ _ _

______Later he could talk about it._ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
